Oak Ridge Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
4.2 grains per gallon
Source
groundwater
pH Level
7.4
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.001 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
157.9 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.19
energy & soap waste
Source: USGS Water Quality Portal · Updated 2026
0–60
mg/L
Soft
61–120
mg/L
Moderately Hard
121–180
mg/L
Hard
180+
mg/L
Very Hard
Appliance Damage Report
In Oak Ridge, your appliances are currently losing 10% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Oak Ridge | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 7.2 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -15% |
| Washing Machine | 11 yrs | 12 yrs | -8% |
| Water Heater | 12.7 yrs | 15 yrs | -15% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Oak Ridge compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Oak Ridge, Florida | 71.5 mg/L | 4.8 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | groundwater |
| Orlando, Florida | 128.5 mg/L | 6.6 ppt | 🟠 Hard | groundwater |
| Southchase, Florida | 258.5 mg/L | 10.7 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | groundwater |
| Pine Hills, Florida | 260.5 mg/L | 10.8 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | groundwater |
| Conway, Florida | 136.5 mg/L | 6.9 ppt | 🟠 Hard | groundwater |
National Benchmark
How Oak Ridge compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Oak Ridge | 71.5 mg/L | 🟡 Low |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Oak Ridge's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Oak Ridge, Florida, in Orange County southwest of Orlando near the Florida Mall and Orlando International Airport corridor — a major unincorporated Orange County residential community in the heart of the Orlando metropolitan area — receives its municipal water from Orange County Utilities (OCU), which draws from the Upper Floridan Aquifer through an extensive wellfield network and operates large-scale reverse osmosis (RO) treatment facilities to reduce the naturally very hard, high-TDS Floridan groundwater to a more manageable finished supply.
The moderately soft 71.5 mg/L hardness and TDS of 157.9 mg/L reflect Orange County Utilities' effective reverse osmosis treatment program — one of the largest municipal RO treatment systems in Florida. Without treatment, the raw Floridan Aquifer supply in the Orlando area typically measures 150–300+ mg/L hardness and TDS values of 500–900 mg/L from the Eocene Avon Park Formation dolomite and Ocala Group limestone beneath Orange County. OCU's RO facilities remove the majority of dissolved minerals from the raw Floridan supply before blending with direct-finished water for distribution, producing a significantly softened and lower-TDS finished product throughout the service area.
At 71.5 mg/L, Oak Ridge's water is moderately soft — a testament to Orange County Utilities' investment in treatment infrastructure. Scale builds slowly in kettles and appliances over months, the dishwasher performs well without special treatment, and faucet aerators need periodic maintenance. Quarterly descaling of heating appliances is adequate. The PFAS level of 4.8 ppt warrants a certified drinking water filter — Orange County's dense tourist infrastructure, aviation operations (Orlando International Airport), and the sprawling theme park and hospitality industrial complex contribute to the regional PFAS baseline in the Orlando metro water supply.
Geology & Source: Oak Ridge in Orange County draws from Orange County Utilities tapping the Upper Floridan Aquifer through reverse osmosis treatment — the Orange County Floridan contacts Eocene Avon Park Formation dolomite and Ocala Group limestone — extensive RO treatment of the naturally hard Floridan supply produces very soft finished water at 71.5 mg/L with low TDS 158 mg/L, characteristic of Orlando's heavily RO-treated Floridan groundwater supply.